The Bennan via the Fell of Eschoncan

Visitors to this scenic beauty spot, at Bruce's Stone memorial overlooking Loch Trool are frequently surprised to see young children climbing 'almost straight up' the steep slope of the Fell of Eschoncan (pronounced E-scon-shan) i.e. the hill on the north side of the public car parks. Few of them, even those intending to make the round trip to Merrick, the highest of the Galloway Hills at 843m, realise that going via the Fell and Bennan is a pleasant diversion from the all too-well trodden tourist path.

Certainly, a return from Merrick and Benyellary via Bennan and the Fell of Eschoncan - with its maginficant views over Loch Trool - make a fitting climax to a very rewarding walk in one of the finest scenic areas of South West Scotland, if not the whole country.

Bruce's Stone car parks are reached along a well signed road from the village of Glentrool, off the A714 at Bargrennan. The road also passes a particularly attractive car park and picnic site at the spot where Stroan Bridge crosses the cascading waters of the Minnoch. A Visitor Centre and Shop serves light meals. From here there starts a number of waymarked trails.

The 'top' car park at Bruce's Stone is the start for a fairly short, 8km walk over the Fell of Eschoncan, to Bennan and return via the lower slopes of Benyellary and Culsharg bothy. The path, unsigned, starts near the end of the elongated car park and ascends through bracken and quite steeply to the Fell's summit, 347m, marked by an OS pillar.

We won't actually pass the summit trig point on this walk but circle via several carins, following a fairly clearly defined path to a gap in the forestry and onto a newly upgraded forest road. The walker should go straight across the road and ascend via another well defined path. You climb steeply at first then more gradually up the slopes of the Bennan. In a short while the very prominent radio communication mast which marks the summit, can readily be seen and the walker is able to choose their own route to the top. Note the unusual ridge formation of Bennan's rocky surface.

Bennan's summit, 582m, also has a cairn and the buildings asscociated with the mast. The road that winds its way down the western slopes of the hill can be followed to the Visitor centre at Stroan Bridge.

The return for our walk today starts by following the road in a north-easterly direction until the road heads off at a hairpin bend to the west. From here continue north east through an opening in the wall and head towards the wall to your left which marks the path to the summit of Benyellary. The walker is recommended to take this diversion to avoid a very wet section on the lower slopes of Benyellary.

Pick up the newly constructed rough path which winds its way in a southerly diirection across the seemingly endless boggy section which once plagued walkers on this section of the tourist path to the Merrick summit. You now follow the well defined path as it descends into the forest via Whiteland Burn and Culsharg bothy before returning to the car park and start point.

Mention was made earlier of going to Merrick via Bennan. This presents no difficulty; walkers simply continue to the summit of Benyellary as opposed to our route for today which descends from this point. Conversely, if a return from Merrick is to be made over Bennan, the wall down from Benyellary has to be followed but the sharp left-hand turn should be ignored - continue along the wall until its meeting with another where the walker should go left and onto the road to the summit mast. The way back to the car park is then almost due south, down Bennan slopes to the forest road where a gap on the opposite forestry leads to a path that circles, via several cairns to the cairn on the head of the Fell of Eschoncan. There remains, then, just the fairly steep descent to the car park below.

A map showing the route is reproduced for your information - Click Get-a-Map above

Route Summary

Ascend N following path to summit cairn on Fell of Eschoncan from car park. Continue to follow fairly clearly trodden path due N to forest gap and forest road. Cross forest road and continue N on fairly clear path to summit of Bennan. From the summit follow forest road due north east then at hairpin bend continue NE across open hillside climbing the lower slopes of Benyellary. Pick up well defined footpath (tourist ascent route to Merrick) and turn SE. Descend due S through forest cross forest road then continue via Culsharg bothy following a newly upgraded path and the Buchan Burn.

You can now download this route for your GPS if you use Memory Map Software